How Much Does a House Survey Cost?

Written by Martha Lott
6th March 2019
(Last updated on Monday 18th March 2019)

A property survey will cost anywhere between £350 to £2,500 depending on the survey type, the value of the property, the house size and the location of your house. It should be noted that this is just a guideline of costs, your situation and surveyor will determine how much you pay for your property survey.

You should remember to factor in your house survey cost into your moving house budget to avoid an unexpected bill throughout the process. It’s essential to get a property survey before buying the house to highlight any major defects that the property has.

How Much Does a House Survey Cost?

Your house survey cost will vary depending on the type of survey, the value of the house and the size and location of the house too. We looked at a sample of fees from RICS Chartered Surveyors across the UK to put together a selection of average costs. Note the below table should be used as a guide for average survey costs, and that true costs will fluctuate depending on area and size of home. Always request a full breakdown and upfront quote for your property survey.

Property Value

Valuation

Condition Report

Homebuyer Report

Building Survey

Up to £100,000

£220

£290

£380

£630

£100,001 to £200,000

£280

£290

£420

£700

£200,001 to £300,000

£320

£380

£500

£800

£300,001 to 400,000

£370

£400

£570

£900

£400,001 to £500,000

£420

£420

£640

£990

£500,001 to £600,000

£490

£470

£740

£1,120

£600,001 to £700,000

£520

£500

£790

£1,180

£700,001 to £800,000

£570

£520

£860

£1,270

£800,001 to £900,000

£610

£540

£920

£1,340

£900,001 to £1,000,000

£640

£560

£980

£1,390

To create the table Compare My Move took the average costs from a sample of 20 RICS Chartered Surveyors and Building Societies across the UK. Note that true survey costs will vary depending on your particular situation and area.

How Much Does a Mortgage Valuation Cost?

A mortgage valuation can cost around £320 for the average property in the UK, though costs can be as low as £160 and as high as £600. The cost of the valuation is relative to your property value, so you can pay anywhere between £150 to £1,000 depending on the property.

It should be noted that a mortgage valuation is not a property survey. The valuation won't look for hidden defects, a mortgage valuation will only confirm to your mortgage lender that the property is worth, in fact, the amount they are lending you.

Some mortgage providers will include a free valuation so it’s worth checking with your mortgage provider before moving ahead.

How Much Does a Condition Report Cost?

A RICS condition report for the average UK home can cost around £380, though costs can be as cheap as £160 and as high as £480. The cost of a RICS Condition Report is relative to your house price and size, so depending on your house price you could pay on average between £290 to £560 for the survey.

Prices do differ between surveyors. Our research showed surveyors offering £150 condition reports for the cheapest properties, and some charging as much as £900 for more valuable properties.

The condition report is the most basic RICS survey and the cheapest. This survey will reward the property with a condition rating of either 1, 2 or 3, just stating if the house needs urgent repairs or not.

The condition report will highlight any urgent issues in the house but won’t offer advice on the value of the property. This survey is more suited for new build homes that are in good condition, as the survey isn’t very in-depth.

How Much Does a Homebuyer Report Cost?

A RICS homebuyer report for the average UK home can cost around £500, though you may pay between £325 and £900 depending on the size of your home and your location.

The cost of a homebuyer report will vary depending on the size, location and price of your house. Our research found a Homebuyer Report as low as £225 for the cheapest properties, up to nearly £2,000 for the most valuable homes.

You will need a homebuyer report if the house you’re going to buy is a new build or relatively modern, built with common materials.

If your homebuyer report discovers damage in the house, you could either have the chance to negotiate a lower price than you agreed on, or you could walk away from the sale, avoiding expensive repair bills.

How Much Does a Building Survey Cost?

A RICS building survey for the average UK property can cost around £800, though can be as cheap as £630 and as expensive as £1,200. A building survey is the most comprehensive survey out of all survey types as it will provide an in-depth examination of the structure and condition of the home. The cost will therefore range depending on the property and your particular requirements. Our research found RICS Building Surveys for as low as £525 for the cheapest properties, up to £2,500 for the most expensive.

Like all surveys, the cost will come down to the cost of the property, and the amount of time spent surveying the home. For that reason many surveyors will charge per hour instead of a flat rate for the report.

You will need a building survey if the property you plan to buy is an old building that was constructed using unusual materials. A building survey cost may seem expensive, but it will be able to highlight hidden defects that could cost you thousands to repair after you’ve moved in.

Once your offer has been accepted, you should get a building survey. It gives you a chance to back out of the sale without having to risk losing your deposit if the survey discovered expensive repairs.

Is it Worth Getting a Survey when Buying a House?

It is worth getting a house survey when you’re buying a house, not only to receive expert advice from a RICS regulated chartered surveyor, but a property survey can also save you a lot of money.

It’s estimated that an average homebuyer will spend £5,000 upwards to fix issues after moving into a new house. When you get a house survey, your surveyor will highlight major issues in the house, giving you the opportunity to completely pull out of the sale as your offer will be Sold Subject to Contract (STC).

Alternatively, you could also renegotiate the offer you submitted to cover the costs of repairing the issues within the property.

Save on your Surveying Costs with Compare My Move

When your offer has been accepted on a house, don’t forget to compare surveyors with Compare My Move. We have a network of RICS regulated chartered surveyors to help when you’re buying a house. Simply, fill out our quick and easy form and you’ll be connected with up to 5 professional surveyors.